What Cruisers Want

When you think about booking a cruise, what’s most important to you? Is it the accommodations, the dining options, the shore excursions, the onboard entertainment? To find out what’s most important to the majority of cruise enthusiasts, the Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA) recently conducted a survey of nearly 900 travel agents who specialize in cruise vacations.

According to the agents, shipboard accommodations are their clients’ most important consideration. They consider price, amenities, Wi-Fi access, the availability of adjoining rooms and even the quality of the bedding.

Cuisine was second on the list, and the agents reported that almost 75 percent of clients look for ships with alternatives to the main dining room, such as specialty restaurants or casual "Lido Deck” dining. More clients are also requesting heart-healthy cuisine.

Clients also look at the quality of a ship’s spa facilities. They look for workout facilities, kids-free facilities and wellness features such as saunas, running tracks, group exercise classes and beauty salons.

Finally, clients look at available shore excursions, with the most popular being "sun and sand” experiences like beach excursions, snorkeling and other water sports. City tours and adventure excursions are also popular, followed by shopping tours and cultural experiences.

Whichever aspect of a cruise is most important to you, talk with your Cruise Holidays cruise expert about booking a cruise that meets all of your priorities.